


honey, don't you leave

by sohappily



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: M/M, and i wrote it as a submission for someone who wanted a larry war au, its short, just go with it tbh, so it's a war au, world war ii au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-27
Updated: 2015-01-27
Packaged: 2018-03-09 06:11:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3239240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sohappily/pseuds/sohappily
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>harry is fighting over in germany. louis is back home, where harry should be.</p>
            </blockquote>





	honey, don't you leave

**Author's Note:**

> i wrote this on tumblr as an anon submission to someone who wanted a larry war au. i wrote it & it got a few more notes than i expected so yeah here you go (the title is lyrics from 'jet back blues' by fall out boy) (also sorry about the lack of capitals, i didn't feel like changing it and it's so short anyway so)

harry woke up to the sound of bursting bombs and panicked shouts. he swallowed hard and swung his legs out of bed, trying to change into uniform as fast as he could. as he was sliding on his pants, a small, folded letter fell out of the left pocket. he knew he didn’t have time to pick it up and read it again, but something about the frantic yells and the deafening bombs outside told him that it might be the last time he’d get to read it. as the other men in his bunker grabbed their guns off of the wall and ran outside, harry picked up the letter with shaking hands.

“ _harry_ ,” it read. “ _i don't quite know if you’ll get this letter or not. germany is an awfully long way away from home. if you do get this, though, just know that i love you. i remember the day we first met, how you tripped over your own feet and practically fell into me, how i couldn’t stop smiling, and how we met again at that corner cafe two days later. that was the day i knew i loved you. and i still do, harry edward styles, i still do._ ” harry heard anguished cries from outside the bunker, but he stayed planted by his bed, eyes fixed on the letter.

“styles, get out here!” someone shouted from the doorway, their face covered in dirt and blood. “h-how bad is it?” harry stuttered as he looked up, ashamed at how afraid he was. “does it matter?" he cleared his throat. "look, i know you were drafted, kid, but we pledged to fight for our country, no matter how bad it got. act like a man and fight.” he promptly left, and harry quickly read the rest of the note.

“ _i remember how scared i was when you said you had been called to fight. i was terrified for you. i don’t want to lose you, harry. god, i never want to lose you. i want you to come home at the end of the war and we can climb up onto our rooftop and hold hands and watch the stars. but i guess what really matters is that you’re doing the right thing... right? i'm so proud of you. love, louis._ ”

harry scanned the bottom of the page for one last thought scribbled down in louis’ small, precise writing. “ _although i'm pretty sure the right thing to do would have been to stay here with me._ ”

harry could picture louis’ pleading eyes the day that he left. he pictured how louis had gone on his tiptoes and kissed him at the base, not caring who was watching. he remembered how he felt louis' lingering touch on his hand even after he had entered the gates and had been shoved into a bunkhouse with nine other men. he missed louis terribly and ached to go home.

he sighed as he read the words “ _i love you_ ” again and he folded the note back up into his pocket. he heard another bomb go off, and he took it as his cue to grab his gun from the wall and run outside. by the time he reached his post, he felt a knot in his stomach. he first attributed it to nerves, but there was something different about it that he couldn't put his finger on.

as he positioned himself, his arm twitched, jerking his gun. as he aimed his gun again, there was a tap on his right shoulder. he turned to see one of his mates, equipped with a gas mask over his face. he tapped it twice, then pointed at harry. he repeated the motions again, and as harry pieced it together, his sight began to fade and he suddenly felt short of breath. he felt his legs go weak, and he fell to the ground convulsing and gasping for air, the shouts and explosions fading out around him. with his last breath, harry weakly attempted to whisper “i promise i tried to do the right thing” before he blacked out completely, surrounded by four of his comrades.

+++

louis had secretly been expecting the letter all along, but not so soon. it was a brutal war, it would have been a miracle if harry had returned in one piece, if at all. after the first sentence, a rather blunt " _please accept my deepest sympathies on the loss of your friend, sgt. harold edward styles,"_  his vision began to blur and he struggled to breathe as he skimmed through the rest of the letter, seeing details about his body being flown back as well as phrases like ' _nerve gases_ ' and ' _convulsions._ ' he folded the letter back up, picturing the horrible death his boyfriend must have experienced. as he was about to slide the letter back into the envelope, he noticed a little note at the bottom. “we found a letter in his pocket and figured it was dear to one or the both of you. enclosed.”

louis’ heart skipped a beat as he pulled out the letter he had written harry over a year ago. he recognized it almost immediately, the tears rushing back to him in massive waves. he studied the letter - how soft it was from numerous folds, the tear stains, and how it carried the scent of harry and of earth. he lightly kissed it, his body racking with sobs as he whispered a question to himself, one that would never be answered.

“at least you did the right thing, right?”


End file.
